Feng, Kai, Sen, Rajyashree ORCID: 0000-0002-0117-6660, Minegishi, Ryo, Dubbert, Michael, Bockemuhl, Till ORCID: 0000-0002-6213-8107, Buschges, Ansgar and Dickson, Barry J. (2020). Distributed control of motor circuits for backward walking in Drosophila. Nat. Commun., 11 (1). BERLIN: NATURE RESEARCH. ISSN 2041-1723

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Abstract

How do descending inputs from the brain control leg motor circuits to change how an animal walks? Conceptually, descending neurons are thought to function either as command-type neurons, in which a single type of descending neuron exerts a high-level control to elicit a coordinated change in motor output, or through a population coding mechanism, whereby a group of neurons, each with local effects, act in combination to elicit a global motor response. The Drosophila Moonwalker Descending Neurons (MDNs), which alter leg motor circuit dynamics so that the fly walks backwards, exemplify the command-type mechanism. Here, we identify several dozen MDN target neurons within the leg motor circuits, and show that two of them mediate distinct and highly-specific changes in leg muscle activity during backward walking: LBL40 neurons provide the hindleg power stroke during stance phase; LUL130 neurons lift the legs at the end of stance to initiate swing. Through these two effector neurons, MDN directly controls both the stance and swing phases of the backward stepping cycle. These findings suggest that command-type descending neurons can also operate through the distributed control of local motor circuits. Drosophila Moonwalker Descending Neurons (MDNs) alter leg motor circuit dynamics so that the fly walks backwards. The authors identify two MDN effector neurons that directly control the stance and swing phases of the backward stepping cycle, indicating distributed control of local motor circuits via command-type descending neurons.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Feng, KaiUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Sen, RajyashreeUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-0117-6660UNSPECIFIED
Minegishi, RyoUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Dubbert, MichaelUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bockemuhl, TillUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-6213-8107UNSPECIFIED
Buschges, AnsgarUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Dickson, Barry J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-308769
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19936-x
Journal or Publication Title: Nat. Commun.
Volume: 11
Number: 1
Date: 2020
Publisher: NATURE RESEARCH
Place of Publication: BERLIN
ISSN: 2041-1723
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY DATA; STICK INSECT LEG; SENSORY SIGNALS; COORDINATION; NEURONS; VISUALIZATION; COCKROACH; DIRECTION; FEEDBACK; BEHAVIORMultiple languages
Multidisciplinary SciencesMultiple languages
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/30876

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